Series history: N.C. State leads 3-2 and won the last meeting, 79-73, at Newark's Prudential Center in 2007.

NCAA Tournament history: Seton Hall is making its third straight appearance and 12th overall, including the 1989 Final Four. N.C. State is making its first appearance since 2015 and 27th overall, including three Final Fours and the 1974 and 1983 national titles.

Will the third NCAA Tournament appearance be the charm for Khadeen Carrington and Seton Hall?(Photo: Vincent Carchietta, Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Three keys for Seton Hall

1. Beat the full-court pressure. Attacking N.C. State is not rocket science. You break their press, you have a good chance to score. No other defense in the entire tournament yields a higher percentage on 2-point shots than the Wolfpack. The key for Khadeen Carrington and whoever else handles is to keep going to the rim — instead of pulling up and resetting — once the ball crosses half court. Although the Pirates haven’t faced a defense quite like this, it should come naturally to a group of players who feel comfortable in the open court.

“They went into Chapel Hill and turned Carolina over a lot, they went into Virginia and forced turnovers, they turned Duke over,” said James Henderson, who covers N.C. State for InsidePackSports.com. “They feel like their biggest asset is their conditioning. They try to grind teams away, and they feel like they can win games late with ball pressure.”

2. Defend the 3-point line. Just about everyone N.C. State suits up can shoot it, and Omer Yurtseven is particularly tricky as a 7-footer who can step out and hit. The Wolfpack are going to hit some 3s; there’s no way around it. The key is to avoid getting buried under a barrage of them. Pick-and-roll defense will be crucial, especially for the Hall’s frontcourt. It will be interesting to see how head coach Kevin Willard rotates his bigs.

“State starts five guys that shoot 35 percent or better from 3 and they’re willing to take them,” Henderson said. “That puts a lot of pressure on your defense. My concern is, are they going to be able to stand up to the physical strength that Seton Hall might have?”

3. Crash the offensive boards. N.C. State is small and doesn’t rebound particularly well. If Angel Delgado can stay in the game — the pace won’t be ideal for him — he could have a field day on put-backs. This is going to be a high-scoring affair, and second-chance points could put the Hall over the top.

“One of the key stats (N.C. State coach Kevin Keatts) mentions every press conference is which team took the most shots,” Henderson said. “That’s how he views the game. They’re hoping to get 15 more shots than the other team. So it’s a matter of, can they keep teams off the glass and limit those extra possessions? Their concern is keeping Seton Hall off the glass, because they’re going to be playing small a lot.”

Seton Hall Pirates forward Desi Rodriguez (20) is most of the way back from an ankle injury(Photo: Vincent Carchietta, Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports)

Matchup edges

Backcourt: Markell Johnson is the type of penetrating, pass-first playmaker Pirate fans enjoyed watching on their team for years. With four guards on the court, all of whom can drill a triple, the Wolfpack can overwhelm even a quality opponent. These guys have taken down Arizona, Duke and North Carolina. Edge: N.C. State.

Frontcourt: N.C. State doesn’t have guys who bring physicality like Delgado and Ish Sanogo do, and the Wolfpack lack anyone who can match up with Desi Rodriguez. The ACC is a superb league, but it’s nowhere near as physical as the Big East. The Wolfpack could be in for some culture shock here. Edge: Seton Hall.

Bench: Both teams go nine deep, but N.C. State’s parts are more interchangeable, and the Wolfpack get double the scoring production from their reserves. This is a big moment for Eron Gordon, who must provide Carrington with five or so minutes of error-free relief. Edge: N.C. State.

Intangibles: The Hall has a huge edge in experience and should play with a last-chance desperation that the younger Wolfpack might not fully understand. Neither team should get much of a bump from the crowd. Edge: Seton Hall.

Prediction

This is the biggest game of the Seton Hall seniors’ careers, and they know it. Focus, which has plagued this team at times, should not be an issue. If the gimpy Rodriguez can contribute enough and Carrington avoids a ball-handling meltdown, a shootout victory is in the cards. Seton Hall 85, N.C. State 80.